The J. League board of directors agreed Tuesday to introduce a new non-Japanese spot for an Asian player on each club starting next season to add to the current maximum of three foreigners who can play simultaneously in a match, board members said.
The plan to set aside a place for a player from a country or territory registered with the Asian Football Confederation will be formalized after the Japan Football Association's board of directors approves it in September.
J. League chairman Kenji Onitake said increasing the number of foreign players on each club to four, including one from countries such as South Korea and Australia, is expected to boost intrasquad competition and improve the level of J. League matches and players.
The move is also aimed at activating regional exchanges through activities such as marketing and sales of broadcasting rights, Onitake said.